PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia judge on Wednesday reinstated third-degree murder charges against the woman accused of killing two Pennsylvania state troopers and a pedestrian on I-95 in March.
Jayana Webb dabbed her eyes, filled with tears, as Judge Lillian Ransom ruled there is enough evidence to uphold third-degree murder charges against her.
Authorities said troopers Martin Mack, 33, and Branden Sisca, 29, had pulled Webb over on I-95 but left to respond to reports of a man walking on the highway. Police said she was driving about 80 mph and had been drinking. Prosecutors say, shortly after Mack and Sisca stopped to help that man, Reyes Rivera Oliveras, 29, Webb sped by and hit the men, killing all three.
Municipal Court Judge Karen Yvette Simmons had dismissed the third-degree murder charges in June. Webb still faced a charge of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence, and related charges, but the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office immediately filed briefs to reinstate the murder charges.
“We prepared for the worst — just like we did at the first preliminary hearing,” said defense attorney Michael Walker.
Observers in the packed courtroom included people there in support of Webb as well as state troopers there to support the families of Mack and Sisca.
“There is a level of wickedness or cruelty that comes into play when you are talking about malice for third-degree murder,” Walker said.
“There’s nothing cruel, nothing wicked, about what she did. In fact, when asked by the police officer ‘Why did you turn towards the berm?’ [she replied] ‘Because I didn’t want to hurt anybody.’”
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But Assistant District Attorney Dave Osbourne says that’s not a factor for trial.
“In fact, in the standard jury charge that judges read to juries as far as third-degree murder goes, that wickedness, that hardness of heart, does not exist in that language,” Osbourne said.
Osbourne says prosecutors asked the judge to keep Webb behind bars, arguing that someone facing a life sentence with multiple counts of third-degree murder should not be entitled to bail. The judge, however, denied the motion.
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Webb remains in prison on $600,000 bail. To post bail, only 10% must be paid. Webb’s attorney says he hopes to get his client out of prison soon.
Ransom removed both of the troopers’ wives from the courtroom after, she said, she saw some kind of reaction from them when she announced her decision. As they were leaving the courthouse, the women said they were just grabbing their masks.
This is a developing story and will be updated. Stay with KYW Newsradio for the latest.